Dream Catch Me When I Fall
by SharkySheep
Summary: It is getting too much for Shawn to handle, so when Gus leaves for a week will Shawn finally take the chance to leave. Or will Lassiter get the truth he's always wanted.


Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Today had sucked from the word go. He couldn't find his favorite top, the shower that he ended up having was ice cold. Jumping on his bike to head down to the police station he ended up in a crash. Well, more of a bump, but still! Now his bike needed fixing and he really didn't have too much spare cash lying around – and he did not want to break into his saving! He rang Gus to ask him if he fancied a bite to eat and a pineapple smoothies but he was told by Gus in a rather fed up voice that he was out o town for a week, and that "I told you every hour yesterday that I wouldn't be around for a week!" Shawn let him go on ranting for a while deciding that Gus just needed to let it out a little. Eventually when he'd hung up the phone he managed to get a lift from a concerned passerby who he just didn't feel like flirting with. He was having a bad day and he'd only been up for around two hours!

_**Every time I close my eyes  
It's you and I know now  
Who I am**_

When he eventually got to the SBPD he noticed that they all seemed busy. No-one seemed to even notice him and he marveled at how everyone seemed to dance wonderfully around each other, trying to get to where they needed, but yet not communicating with anyone. They all just seemed to know when to move, when to stop, they all belonged and were accepted. Apparently he wasn't if the look on Lassiter's face was anything to go on. He looked like he had just bit into a sour lemon. "Great! Just when I Didn't think this day could get any worse, you turn up and decide to prove me wrong! So what now? You gonna prance around and have another of your truly ridiculous and useless "psychic" episodes!"

_**Yea yea yea and I know now**_

"Well, I do sincerely apologies for that Lassie, guess I just thought maybe I could help – but look at that – guess I was wrong! I mean it's so obvious now! How could I not just seem to make things worse, it's not like I'm actually solving cases or trying to help with the case load that your all struggling with! How selfish of me! HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO SELFISH! Shaw's voice had gradually gotten louder as he went on and by the end of it he had the whole entire police department looking at him through puzzled and astonished eyes. None of them had ever heard Shawn raise his voice before, no one even assumed he knew how to get mad, yet here he was, standing in the middle of the station, shaking form anger that was directed at Detective Carlton Lassiter, who looked more astonished than anyone else. He opened his mouth to say something, but before the words came out Shawn just shook his head letting out a chuckled sob, "No – I don't think I want to listen to anything more you have to say! I thought we were friends, I was trying… I thought you were too but I guess I was fooling myself. I know when it's enough" Shawn took a deep breath and turned to leave.

_**There's a place I go  
When I'm alone**_

"Tell Gus when you see him I'm heading out of town for a while"

_**Do anything I want  
Be anyone I wanna be**_

"Shawn! What…" Juliet trailed off as Shawn left without responding or even acknowledging that anything had been said. The Chief looked at Lassiter with a raised eyebrow, "what the hell was that?" Carlton just shook his head; rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, "I don't know…" he trailed off sighing "That's not good enough! Find him and apologize after your shift! Now EVERYONE BACK TO WORK!"

When Shawn got on his bike after leaving the station he went straight back to his place, packed a bag and got straight back on his bike. He had no idea where he was going to go – at the moment he didn't even care! He just needed to go. He was fed up of Lassiter's little digs that seemed to be coming more and more often and getting less and less easy to ignore. Wiping a hand across his face he realized that a few tears had escaped somewhere along his trail of thoughts. Looking up, Shawn found himself even more surprised to realize that he was at his dad's front door and that he had somehow managed to get ll the way there without crashing and also managed to park his bike and be currently knocking on his dad door without any conscious thought.

_**But it is us I see  
And I cannot believe I'm falling  
That's where I'm going**_

When Henry answered the door he was surprised to see his son standing there looking… Henry narrowed his eyes. Shawn looked like hell, he also looked like he was nine years old having just fell over, his eyes red from crying and wiping away tears. His bike helmet clutched in front of him like it was a life line and a bag was swung over his shoulders. Henry was concerned so wordlessly invited Shawn in, who immediately sat down on the couch and pulled his legs close, a typical behavior for someone who feels the need to hide or protect themselves. Henry ran his eyes over Shawn, "What's wrong Shawn?" Getting no response he moved to sit down beside Shawn, he was beginning to get more concerned by the second, with his son's current state. "Shawn, Kiddo, what's wrong?" Henry placed a hand on Shawn's shoulder but still Shawn didn't move, didn't even glance his way. That was when Henry discovered that Shawn was crying. This discovery really rattled Henry, like any father he may not be good at emotions but that was over ruled instantly with the fact that his son was now in distress. Pulling Shawn into a hug he held him, slowly rubbing soothing circles on his back. At first Shawn didn't respond, didn't even push him away, but after a few minute he couldn't seem to keep it bottled up anymore. He clung to Henry like he was the only person left on the planet, like he just couldn't handle whatever it was anymore. He cried loudly, almost painful sobs escaping every so often until finally two hours later he had settled slightly, now he was just reduced to massive shivers that every so often racked his body. Yet still he clung to Henry his grip not have loosened at all. Shawn clung to his father, he hadn't purposely come here but his body seemed to know what he really needed. He didn't need to run, he needed to stay!

_**Where are you going**_

"Where are you heading too?" Henry asked Shawn when he could no longer feel as many shakes going through him. Shawn finally looked up at this point, but still refused to let go. "I… I-I was going to see where the road went, but I-I ended here. Guess it's where the road went… Can I stay here?" Shawn stumbled slightly over his words, his voice used for his grief earlier. "Why were you running?" Henry for almost the first time in his life was focused singly on Shawn and wasn't mad, why would he be. Shawn, for once in his life had decided to run and he did, straight to him. "I'm tired" Shawn breathed the response into Henry's shoulder. "You can go to sleep after you tell me" Henry said as he continued to hold Shawn. Shawn shook his head and finally pushed away slightly from Henry. "No dad, not sleepy. I'm tired of…" Shawn bit his lip and looked away, Henry waited patiently while Shawn seemed to gather his strength. Finally Shawn looked back at him. "I'm tired of lying to them all. Everyday I go there, well almost everyday and I have to hide part of myself, deal with the whispers, the eyes rolling and they don't realize… they think I'm psychic so they don't know I see them. Gawd, even Gus nudges me when I go into one of my "episodes" because I'm taken to long, but he doesn't know it's the only way I can… the only way I can close them all out." Shawn looked pleadingly at his dad, "Do you understand? I want it to end! But I want to keep helping; I don't want to go to prison!" Shawn sniffed and looked to the floor which seemed the best way from seeing what was going on in his dad's head. He assumed it would be anger, disappointment, an 'I told you so'. He didn't expect to be pulled into another hug.

_**Hold it close won't let this go**_

"I'll talk to Karen tomorrow. In the meantime you need to get some sleep. You look worse than death!"

"Hey! There are worse things in life than death! Have you ever spent time with an insurance person! Way worse!" Henry laughed, stood up and messed up Shawn's hair, making no difference to it what-so-ever. "Go on, get to bed" Shawn stood and smiled, just before he headed off to his room he turned back around, "Thanks" then he turned quickly to head to his room. "No problem Kiddo" Henry whispered to his retreating form. He was just glad that Shawn had decided to stick around, but from now on he would pay more attention. He never realized that things had been getting to Shawn, and where was Gus?

_**Dream catch me, yeah  
Dream catch me when I fall  
Or else I won't come back at all**_

Karen looked up when Henry Spencer walked through the doors of her office and proceeded to shut the door and close all the blinds. She raised an eyebrow at him and when he ignored it and sat down she closed the reports on her desk. "Can I help you Henry?" She asked calmly. Henry just sighed and took a deep breath, "Karen, Shawn is not a psychic, never has been, never will be, there are no such things and well… he wants to come clean" at this point the Chief narrowed her eyes before looking up when the door opened and in walked Shawn who quietly shut the door and walked over to take a seat next to Henry. He looked up briefly at Karen before looking back at the floor, shifting slightly in his seat he looked at his dad and then again, dropped his eyes to the floor. Henry shook his head; he should have known Shawn would follow him down here, even after him telling him to stay put. "Like I was saying Chief, Shawn isn't psychic, but he wants to go on helping you all with your cases. He doesn't want to lie anymore" Shawn looked up at Karen and nodded at what Henry had said.

_**You do so much  
That you don't know**_

Karen never believed that Shawn was psychic, that was, not at first. Gradually over the months she had truly started to believe he was. To say she was mad was a massive understatement, but when Shawn came in quietly and subdued and then looked at her it had lessoned considerably. He looked lost. That's why Henry when Henry started telling her that Shawn still wanted to help on cases. She looked at Shawn and saw him nod slightly, going back to looking at the floor. She leant back in her chair thinking. Shawn probably didn't realize how much the department looked to him now, not just for cases or tips, but for friendship, fun, jokes, help, support, he does so much more than just hang around the station but looking at the men in front of her she had a feeling that neither of them realized this at all. Finally she came to a decision.

_**It's true  
And I know now  
Who I am**_

"Okay, there are several things that have to be done before I let you anywhere near another case Mr. Spen… Shawn. Firstly, you will need to learn to fire a weapon, to abide by safety regulations, to know how to look after it…" When both of them looked ready to say something she raised a finger and carried on, "you will also need to get a license for your weapon and any other documents that I might think of in the future. Secondly, you will enroll yourself part time into detective classes so that you will have some proper qualifications to back up any claims, your lucky I'm not asking you to do the police academy either, and finally you will apply for any private investigator documents that I demand of you. Now do you agree to this or shall I call in detective Lassiter to arrest you?"

_**Yeah yeah yeah  
And I know now**_

Shawn looked at the Chief after she stopped talking and let a small smile spread across his face until it was a full blown smile and then he started laughing, he ignored the puzzled look his father gave him and the now furious look coming from the Chief. "Is something funny?" she almost growled out. Shawn slowly started to calm down from the warning looks that Henry shot at him. "No Chief, nothing's wrong, it's just… thank you! Everything has just never been so right for me, but I need to tell you, I don't need to do any of the things you mentioned". Karen shook her head, "Yes Shawn you do, it's non-negotiable." He shook his head and smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time. "No, I don't. You see I've already been to the police academy, graduated top, I've already become a detective all have all the documents to prove it, I know how to look after gun and my dad will tell you what my aim is like and lastly I have my P.I. license so I'm all legal. Oh yeah and I have my own gun, full licensed." Shawn smiled again and looked between the others, finally happy where he was.

_**There's a place I go  
When I'm alone  
Do anything I want  
Be anyone I wanna be**_

Karen shocked beyond words looked at Shawn who just grinned back, to Henry who was thankfully just as surprised as her. Henry finally looked at his son. "you-you went to the academy after all?" Shawn nodded, "yeah, I was bored so I took off for a wile, did it that year and four months I was gone" Henry looked at Shawn, "Yeah right, your actually telling me you past the academy in one year and four months" Shawn shook his head, "No, I passed the academy in a year, once I had explained to them that I already knew all the basics they had been teaching me in the first month, and then I'd read ahead, well, once I showed them… I was fast tracked through. The other fur months I worked the force in Miami, which was interesting…" Henry jus looked wildly at Shawn; he could not believe he hadn't been told. "Shawn! Why didn't you tell me?" Henry asked looking at Shawn strangely. Shawn just shrugged, "Not sure, guess I didn't want to tell you because you weren't there! You disappeared around that time, remember?" Henry nodded then smiled at Shawn; "I'm glad you did it Shawn" Shawn smiled slightly. "Like father like son" Karen interrupted. Shawn looked at her and pulled a face, "Ew gross! All the things he wears look like there baring a grudge!" Shawn moaned.

_**But it is us I see**_

Lassiter looked up as the Chief, Henry and Shawn walked out of the office smiling. He frowned, Shawn looked different, that's when Shawn looked over to him, and then started walking his way.

"Hi Lassie…"

"Look Shawn, I'm sorry about what I said yesterday"

Shawn smiled, "Nah don't worry about it, in fact I should be thanking you. If you hadn't have said that, I wouldn't have snapped and I wouldn't have come clean about not being a psychic to the Chief."

_**And I cannot believe I'm falling**_

Lassiter almost stumbled back in shock, "Did you just admit? Is this for real? You actually told the Chief?" Shawn watched smiling as Lassiter's face went through several stages of shock before turning loose the biggest smirk possible, "I KNEW IT!" he yelled smiling and Shawn couldn't help smiling back. Finally he stood up, still smiling at him, "So how the hell have you been doing it? Was I right about the inside source?" Shawn shook his head while sitting down on the edge of Lassiter's desk, pushing several objects out the way. Lassiter sat back sown in his chair, listening to the ex-psychic, "Nope, I'm not psychic but I do have a photographic memory, also perfect vision and a detectives mind built up over years of living with my dad. I see things others might miss and everything I have ever seen I can remember clearly" Lassiter drew out a whistle shocked at what Shawn was telling him, that meant… "Wait! So you managed to solve all these cases whilst we were keeping you out of the loop and away from the evidence?" Shawn nodded, "Wow I don't even want to know how fast you'll solve things having all the fact in front of you." Lassiter said in what almost sounded like awe. Shawn smiled again, "We friends Lassie?" he asked softly looking at him hopefully, Lassiter sighed and looked away, missing the fleeting disappointment in Shawn's eyes, he nodded, "Yeah Shawn, we're friends" Shawn laughed genuinely. Lassiter grinned the frowned, "Who else have you told?"

"No-one, I though you deserved to be the first to know since you never really believed but seemed to be the one most affected by me being around"

"So are you going to tell them? Are you still aloud to work cases?"

Yeah I am, to both questions Lassie" Lassiter nodded satisfied.

_**That's where I'm going  
Where are you going  
Hold it close won't let this go**_

_**Dream catch me, yea**_

Shawn sighed when he finally got back to his dad's later that night, he eventually tired after repeating time and time again to everyone how exactly he wasn't a psychic and how he managed to gather his evidence. Jules took it the worst, stormed off to a while and was barely just speaking to him the rest of the day. Buzz had just smiled and asked for help on the detective observation test, which Shawn had readily agreed to, he enjoyed spending time with Buzz. So finally when he got back to the house, he was glad to see his dad waiting with a bottle of beer for him and food was already on the table. He didn't think he would ever feel this content, but he felt the relationship with Lassiter grow dramatically today, felt it solidify into something real, yes Jules was pissed but she'd get over that eventually, she couldn't stay mad at anyone that girl!

_**Dream catch me when I fall  
Or else I won't come back at all**_

Henry smiled to himself contentedly, he saw Shawn come to a stop on his bike and he was so happy to see that the normal Shawn was back. Fair enough he had also came with many surprises today, like the fact that he had went to the police academy after all, but Henry was surprised to find that it didn't actually mean as much as he thought it would. He was proud of Shawn and one day he would actually work up the courage to tell him that to his face, bit at the moment, he would just spend more time with him.

_**See you as a mountain  
A fountain of God**_

Shawn watched as his dad, after cleaning the dishes, came in and sat next to him flicking on the T.V. to some random program an excuse, Shawn knew, but he didn't care to mention it. He had grown closer to his dad over the last few months. It had surprised him at first but he found it a comforting thought now. He supposed if he had to hazard a guess at why he would bring it down to the fact that he had grown up a little in the last few months and his dad seemed to have mellowed out a little as well, so finally they could now get together and it wasn't guaranteed that they would have an argument. It was still pretty likely they would, but there had been times when none surfaced, shocking them both. His dad was tough, always had been, but at this moment that's what Shawn needed, needed him to just be there while everything thing was still up in the air, fresh in the minds of the people he worked with.

_**See you as a descant soul  
in the setting sun  
You as the sound**_

_**Just as silent as none**_

_**I'm young**_

Shawn looked over at his dad, "Thanks again" he whispered softly. Henry nodded but didn't face him, "I'm thankful too" he whispered back then finally did turn to look at him. Shawn was surprised to see the play of emotions across his dad's face. "I don't understand?" he said confused, he wasn't sure what his dad meant. Henry stood up turned off the T.V. and put the radio on, when Shawn watch him with his gaze trying to work out what his dad was thinking, Henry made them some coco. Shawn asked again, "Dad, what do you mean?" Henry stopped getting the cups from the cupboard and turned to Shawn, "You were going to run. You let things get so bad that the only thing you could think of was to run. If you had done that, if you hadn't somehow made your way over to me how would I have found out you had left? Would you have told me over the phone? Wrote a postcard? Would anyone have told me? You would have just upped and left and I thought…!" He trailed off and took a deep breath, walking forward towards Shawn who was watching him over the back of the sofa, he put his hands on either side of Shawn's face, holding him, "Shawn, I thought we had been getting along so much better recently. The idea that you would run scares me. So I'm thankful that you didn't. I've never been so thankful in my life!" Henry just nodded at Shawn when he finally saw that his words had gotten through to him, finally then did he let go of his face. Shawn listened as words floated over from the radio, words that had been floating around in his head all day. He lay back into the sofa, his dad coming around to join him once more, as they sat there and let the music take them slowly to sleep.

_**There's a place I go  
When I'm alone  
Do anything I want  
Be anyone I wanna be  
But it is us I see  
And I cannot believe I'm falling**_

_**There's a place I go  
When I'm alone  
Do anything I want  
Be anyone I wanna be  
But it is us I see  
And I cannot believe I'm falling  
That's where I'm going  
Where are you going  
Hold it close won't let this go**_

_**Dream catch me, yea  
Dream catch me when I fall  
Or else I won't come back at all**_


End file.
